In The Dark
by Story Obsessed
Summary: The Cullens have just saved 15 year old Bella, but from what they have no idea. Now with Bella's apparent inability to speak, the secrets that they cant figure out, and Bella no longer knowing how to open up the Cullens fear they can never fix her. But that doesnt mean they wont try. Rated M for a reason!
1. Preface

**A/N: Starting another new story. This story is a story focused recovery, like my other stories. If you don't like those kinds of stories then you won't like this one. Very dark topics and strong language at times. Rated M for a reason. Since this is just a preface it will not be long, and the chapters may not be long even in the future so if you hate short chapters you may not like this story. Here we go.**

**Preface:**

A light switch flicked causing light to flood through the crack at the bottom of the door. I hastily flinched away from the harsh glow of the lights. The door knob jiggled violently at the top of the stairs and I shuffled away from it. Maybe I was finally going to be allowed to bathe, or maybe eat, but that always came with a price. I think was willing to pay it at this point.

"Over here" An unfamiliar male voice shouted from the other side of the door.

My eyes widen in fear and my throat constricts violently. The sound of a thousand feet paraded on the ceiling above me. There were 3 loud bangs on the door and it flew open, the light momentarily blinded me. When I looked up I saw the face of an angel.

"Oh my goodness" The man behind the horrorstruck angel said. "There's a girl down here!"

Suddenly everyone but the angel was stomping towards me; she just stared with wide eyes. A huge hand grabbed at my arm. A scream shattered the air and by the time I realized it was me it was too late, I couldn't stop. The first noise I make in who knows how long would be a scream. More hands grabbed at me. I started to fall away from everything, the violent unfamiliar hands, the horrorstruck angel, the blinding lights from the top of the stairs, and the raspy screaming that spewed from my throat. In the darkness I was safe…

**A/N: So there's the preface. I hope no one just, like, skipped it like they do in actual books. If you skip the preface you most likely won't understand the next chapters to come. Reviews?**


	2. Chapter 1

The taste of blood was acid in my mouth. There was light over my eyelids, making my vision red instead of black. I wondered where I was and why there was blood in my mouth. I tried to pull my hands up but they were being held down, my legs were too. I panicked only for a second.

"Isabella" A deep voice said.

My heart thumped roughly against my chest. The voice was male, and it was soft yet commanding.

"Isabella, open your eyes" It said quietly.

I knew it wasn't a question, it was an order, and my eyes automatically obligated. I flinched against the light but kept my eyes open as instructed.

"Good job"

My eyes darted around the room and my brain told me that it was a hospital room. A man stood at my right. He was tall, and pale with blonde hair and hazel eyes. He was dressed in a white doctor's coat. I looked down quickly hoping he didn't see that I looked directly at his face.

"Can you look at me?" He asked.

I almost choked. Did this man just ask me a question? How do I respond, I mean I'm not supposed to look at him, am I? I wanted to talk but I didn't remember where my voice was or how to use it. But that's what all the pain was meant to do, teach me to lose my voice. It worked. I continued to stare down deciding that this was a trick.

"Isabella" I flinched from the name. "Look at me"

And at the direct order my eyes darted to him. A feeling of familiarity passed over me when I glanced at his blonde hair, _he _had blond hair. The doctor smiled flashing perfect white teeth at me.

"My name is Carlisle Cullen" He spoke

I watched in amazement as he spoke to me as if we were on the same level, as if we were equals. I wondered why he told me his name; no one had ever told me their name after I moved in with _him_.

"I am your doctor; can you tell me what happened to you?"

I looked at him but didn't make a move to open my mouth.

"What happened to you?" He asked again.

I looked at him in confusion. He moved away and my eyes followed him. He took out a key and undid the soft cuffs that held my wrists and feet. Even after the restraints fell away I didn't move an inch.

"You can sit up now" Dr. Cullen said

I did as I was told and he sat at the foot of the hospital bed. I moved so that I was sitting on my calves and my hands were folded obediently on my thighs. I realized that I was dressed and looked at the clothes in surprise. It was just like what the doctor was wearing except it had blue stripes. The gown scratched against my skin uncomfortably.

The doctor pulled out a flash light and flashed it in my eyes, ordering me to follow his finger. My head pounded from the constant light that was here. He checked my ears with a cold black thing. Last he ordered me to open my mouth. I was used to that order and did without a second thought. He said to make an '_ah'_ noise but I couldn't, no sound came from my throat. He frowned and I looked down in a panic that he was mad.

"Drink this" He said handing me a bottle of water.

My hand shook causing the water to jump around the bottle as I lifted it to my dry mouth. I drank it down quickly until there was only half a bottle left. The warm water burned going down but it was an amazing relief to not be so dry and crackly. The water seemed to audibly hit the bottom of my empty stomach, but the water filled me up quickly. I must've drank too much or too fast because it came right back up. There was a bowl in front of my face quick enough to catch it. The water spewed forward until I was just gagging and spitting out blood from my destroyed throat. Tears burned my eyes but I didn't let them fall.

"Here, try only to sip it this time" Dr. Cullen said with a frown.

I did that and it soothed my throat, and stood down.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

I thought about it and finally shook my head.

He frowned again but spoke. "Well, you're coming home with me. I have a wife at home and 5 kids. They're all older than you, but only by 2 or 3 years technically. Three of them are 17 and the other two are 18."

I listened quietly. When I didn't answer a woman with hazel eyes and brown hair walked in. I automatically recognized her as the angel that found me. She smiled at me with sad eyes.

"Hey sweetie" She said gently.

For a second she reminded me of my mother. She handed me an outfit, it was a sweater and sweat pants. She pointed to a door and said that it was a bathroom. I looked at her in confusion, why was she sending me to the bathroom alone? I haven't gone to dress in so long that I don't even know if I remember how to do it.

"Go ahead" The man said with a smile.

I got off the bed slowly and almost fell, but I made it to the bathroom. There was a mirror in there and I almost gasped at my reflection. The last time I saw myself my hair was shorter and straighter, I was cleaner, and I was younger. A lot younger. Had I been with _him _for more than a year?

My face was dirty and bruised; I shrunk away from the mirror. After what felt like forever I put on the clothes properly. When I came out the bathroom they gestured for me to follow them out. We walked through the hospital and out to a black car.


	3. Chapter 2

**Esme's POV**

I heard a faint heart beat as soon as we pulled up to the house. It sounded like someone young was in here sleeping, but it was the only heart beat in here. That meant that the foster child, Isabella Swan, was here, but the foster parents weren't. I stepped out of my car as the police unloaded from their car. At least there would be no struggle to take her; I hated the screaming and begging that came with my job.

The cops ran to the door and pushed it open. I stood outside as they ran through the house. I couldn't tell them that I was the only one who would be leaving with who I came for. I walked into the house as a man screamed "Over here".

He was at the basement door, it was locked, and the girl's heartbeat sped up down there. The rest of the cops, there was 20 of them, ran behind us. The cop, Officer Jones, had to kick the door three times before the lock broke and the door flew open. A gasp ripped through my throat, I stared at the sight in horror as the Officer Jones screamed that there was a girl down here.

The girl was unmistakably Isabella Swam. She stared up at us in horror. She was completely naked, dirty, and bruised. Her ribs almost poked out of her skin and she was pale and shallow. Shakes rattled her small frame, but despite the fear in her eyes she didn't make a sound.

The cops ran around where I was frozen. They grabbed at Isabella and she finally let out a wail. The wail could have shattered my ear drums. Her voice was rough and raspy as if she hadn't used it in a while. I smelled her blood as the scream literally tore at her throat. Her heart thumped loudly and the sound pounded in my ears until all of her screaming disappeared and she passed out.

"What are you doing" I finally yelled running towards them at human pace.

"Ma'am we were told to bring everyone in" One cop said.

"No, don't you see that she is a little girl?! I came for her"

I went through checking her pulse even though I knew she was alive.

"We have to take her to the hospital" An officer said.

I took off my jacket and covered her body. I let one officer pick her up and run her up to his car. I followed them to the hospital where Isabella was taken straight in to my husband. I followed and watched Carlisle work. Even unconscious she fought against him frantically, but she made no more noises. After a while she had to be strapped to the bed and injected with medicine to calm her.

"Call me if she wakes" Carlisle said.

With that his shift was over, it was 10 at night, and we went home. All of the kids were home, but I went straight to work after greeting them. I opened Isabella's file and reread it.

_Isabella Swan:_

_Only child, parents Charlie and Renee swan: killed in a car accident January 2007. Placed under James and Victoria Nomad's care February 2007. Case worker: Laurent Rule. Visits once a month._

The house visit notes were very in depth for 5 months, where Isabella reported being very happy and was well behaved. However, after 5 months the notes became very vague and repetitive. I had no doubt that after 5 months Laurent stopped visiting and just started writing what would be acceptable, but why would he do that? That also means that Isabella had been there for 4 years without a house visit.

My thoughts flashed back to how she looked when we found her and I flinched, what had happened in those 4 years? I looked through my work laptop and saw that there were no willing foster parents for a teen, all of them were full.

"Carlisle we cant sent her to a group home" I said laying in bed with him.

Carlisle sighed. "I know" He said with a frown.

"Can we" I mouthed so the kids wouldn't hear me.

"I think we should" He mouthed, nodding. "If the kids agree"

"Can we talk to you guys?" I said in a normal voice.

I heard the soft taps of everyone making their way to the dining room where the only use it got was occasional family meetings. Carlisle and I went and sat at our spots at the table.

"I guess I should get right to it" I said after a few seconds of silence.

"No" Edward growled, picking through my thoughts and figuring it out before I spoke.

He was up from his chair and glaring.

"No what" Emmett asked.

"Edward let your mother talk, sit back down" Carlisle said.

"Well, we picked up a girl from a house today, her name is Isabella. She was basically unaccounted for, for four years. I was thinking that maybe we could take her in until we can find her a more permanent place."

"No" Rosalie, Jasper and Edward said at once.

"Cool" Alice and Emmett said at the same time.

"Why would you bring a human into a home of vampires?" Jasper asked.

"That could end badly for all of us" Rosalie added.

"Why do you even want to take her?" Edward asked. "You work with foster kids every day, whats so different about her?"

"We lost her for four years without even knowing it, a lot changed for her."

The sound of her screaming echoed through my head, making me flinch. Edward heard it and flinched too.

"It would just be temporary, just long enough to help her, find her old foster parents, make sure she is okay, and find her a good family"

"How old is she?" Emmett asked.

"15" I said quietly.

"What's her story?" Rosalie asked curiously but reluctantly.

"Her parents died in a car crash when she was 10, she went straight to the family she was with when we got her. They only seemed to have home visits with them for 5 months, then they just don't seem right. I don't know what happened to her in the last four years." I added in a whisper.

Everyone caught it at the end.

"It's temporary right" Rosalie asked with a frown.

I nodded and so she nodded. "Ok" She finally agreed.

Jasper nodded as well, I looked at Edward last but he didn't look like anything mattered, he still said no. I frowned.

"Edward I can't send her to a group home" I said. "She needs to be with a good family until we find her somewhere better and permanent"

_We need to find out what happened to her. _

Edward heard the thought and his brow furrowed.

"Fine" He finally snarled.

At 3 in the morning Carlisle's phone rang, apparently Bella's heart beat was speeding up and they figured she'd be up in an hour at most….


	4. Chapter 3

The drive to the house was short and frightening; I stared out the window the whole way. At first there were houses and then there were trees, last there were other parked cars and a huge house.

"We're here" The angel said, scaring me.

She opened the door and I scrambled out.

"I forgot to tell you, my name is Esme" She said quietly. "The rest of my family is home, I can introduce you to them after you are showered and cleaned."

I followed her to the door were I could see lights flooding under. The door opened and I flinched against the light, it was still dark outside and the sudden light really hurt.

"Your room is the only one on the left on the third floor, straight up two flights of stairs. Your pajamas are on the bed and everything you will need to shower is already in the bathroom." Esme said.

I froze in confusion. She was sending me upstairs and not to the basement? Also, she was sending me to shower and dress alone; no one was going to help. My heart beat sped up and I didn't move.

"Go ahead" The doctor's voice said from behind me.

I jumped and headed to the stairs like I was told. I followed Esme's instructions until I found the room she sent me to. Of course I had to be clean, even if I had to clean myself; they wouldn't want me if I was dirty. It had always been like that, since the beginning.

I saw the two doors. The one on the right was closed and soft music played from between the cracks. I went straight to the room that I had been sent to; the one she said was mine. A huge bed sat in the middle of it. There was a TV hanging on the wall, a laptop on the desk that was close to the TV except on the floor, two doors, one wall that was most a window, and an outfit on the bed. I opened the two doors, one led to a closet full of clothes and the other led to the bathroom. I grabbed the clothes and slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. That's when I really started to struggle.

I dropped my clothes on the closed toilet and looked around the bathroom. There was a red towel hanging up and a loofa stuck against the wall of the tub. I messed with the knobs of the tub until the shower came on. I burned myself and then froze before I got the water to the temperature I was used to; steam lifted to the ceiling. I read each bottle carefully before washing myself and my hair. Surprisingly, washing myself was a lot harder than _she _made it seem.

Drying and dressing was easier because after a few attempts I remembered how to do it. I didn't know what to do when I was done but Esme said that she was going to introduce me to people. I walked back down the stairs and saw that she was still there; I flinched in fear when she smiled.

"Come on" She said quietly.

**I warned about short chapters… My updates should be a little more frequent now that I have internet at home again, Yay! I wanted the chapters to be separate for coming and then meeting the family and being given a tour. Review**


	5. Chapter 4

I don't know if I have ever been so scared and felt so out of place then I did as I walked into the living room.

The doctor was nowhere to be found but there were 5 other people in there. Three boys and two girls, the most girls I had seen since I was in school… There was a small girl with short, spikey black hair smiling brightly. Holding her hand was a boy with short dark hair, he looked like he was in pain. Well that makes two of us. Next I notice a huge, muscular guy who also wore a bright smile; I shrank back slightly from it before looking over to the girl next to him. She was blonde, very feminine, and beautiful. But she was wearing a scowl, glaring at me… _Great, even girls look at me like that._ Lastly I noticed a boy standing the furthest from me. He was tall, taller than me, with brownish-blonde hair. He was obviously the most beautiful of them all, but just like the blond a scowl covered her face. I didn't know who in the room I was more afraid of, the hateful ones, or the happy ones. Tears burned my eyes and I fought the urge to run.

Esme spoke and told me the names and age of all the kids. The blonde girl and muscular guy were named Rosalie and Emmett, they were 18. The spikey haired girl and pained boy were Alice and Jasper and they were 17. Lastly was the angry guy, Edward, he was also 17. I didn't look them in the face for more than two seconds each that would have horrible consequences. My eyes darted to the window and I noticed that it was still dark out there, the light in here made my head pound violently. This non-stop light was killing me!

"Do you want a tour of the house or are you tired?" Esme asked.

My eyes widened, why did she keep asking so many questions and acting like I was important? Honestly, I was nowhere near tired, but I just wanted to be locked in the quiet of _my _room, safe and alone.

"She doesn't talk" A barely audible mumble said when I didn't answer or move.

I wanted to see which man said it, but I was too scared to look up.

"Let's find out" I recognized the doctor's voice. "Can you talk?" He asked loudly.

Suddenly he was right in front of me. I felt my throat tear again as a shriek broke through myself control and echoed through the room. I shuffled away from him, unnerved by his sudden appearance. I always knew before _they _came, any of them.

"Isabella stop screaming" The doctor ordered.

My inhumane screaming automatically died in my throat and the taste of blood exploded onto my tongue. I couldn't believe what I just did! My hands gripped my throat in disbelief and I looked up at the doctor in horror. Emotions flashed through his eyes too quick to understand, but I knew they were different degrees of anger. I did the only thing I could think to do. I dropped to my knees, sitting back onto my legs, and hid my hands behind my back. My eyes were trained on his feet. This was the only way I could show my regret and sorrow and let him know I was ready for my punishment.

I watched his feet in disbelief, tears swimming in my eyes, as he stepped away from me.

"Isabella" He said in a strange voice, it was soft. "get up" His voice was almost in disbelief.

I didn't move.

"Get up" He said louder, demanding.

I sprang to my feet but continued to stare at his shoes. I noticed feminine shoes walk next to him and stop. I heard whispering too quiet for my ears.

"How about you eat a sandwich after you take a tour of the house, Alice will take you" Esme said.

Alice smiled brightly and gestured for me to follow her, she started talking automatically.

"Obviously we just left the living room" We walked into the hallway and down it. "This door on the right, under the stairs, leads to our basement. This door on the right is our guest bathroom, this door leads to our library." She opened the door and my eyes widened. The room had ceiling high book shelves, stuffed with books. I fought the urge to reach out and touch them. I used to love reading before I was yanked from school and moved to the basement.

We walked back into the living room and I noticed a piano. "Edward plays" Alice said, probably having seen my gaze.

Next we walked through the second floor and Alice pointed out the rooms, she and Jasper shared one and Rosalie and Emmett shared one. Lastly on the last floor was my room and the other room, which was now open with soft music playing, was Edward's room. The tour took too long and Alice talked too much, I wanted to be back in a dark room alone. Alice brought me back to the living room where Esme gestured for me to follow her.

I followed Esme, sat down when and where she said to, and waited. A few minutes later she put a plate with two sandwiches and a tall glass of juice in front of my face. My eyes bulged, did she really expect me to eat all of this?

"When you're done you can go to your room and catch up on some rest, I know you must be exhausted." Esme said. "Just leave your dishes in the sink and eat up"

She left and I did as ordered. Halfway through my first sandwich I was stuffed. I forced myself to each the rest of my sandwich and then the next one and down the glass of juice. I automatically regretted it as I felt it fighting its way back up to my throat. I dropped the plate and cup in the sink so quickly that as I ran to the stairs I heard them shatter. I had barely made it to the bathroom in my room before everything came up.

My head swam and was practically in the putrid smelling toilet by the time I was done. I knew my throat was bleeding even though I could taste nothing but regurgitated food.

Tears streamed down my face as I flushed. I rushed to wash my face and brush my teeth. I had to sleep now, Esme said to go to sleep. I walked out the bathroom, turning off all of the lights and making the room pitch black. My eyes adjusted quickly and I looked at what I could still see of the room. I found my way to a corner and sat pressed against it. I let myself cry and then cried harder as the sun started to rise.

I hated it here already. Nothing was right.


	6. Chapter 5

The sun was high in the air by the time I was done crying. I banged my head against the wall and the room spun, but I didn't hurt. Nothing hurt anymore. I banged again, harder, the room spun faster. My eyes began to droop, I was tired finally, but I didn't want to sleep. Sleep would bring them back. _Crack_ my head hit the wall again snapping me wide awake for a few more seconds.

Sunlight spilled into my room from the window, I think it was physically making me sick because my body was hurting, and my head, and I was nauseous again. I crawled away from the window and into the door that led to the closet. I closed the door behind myself, curled into a ball in the corner, and let myself fall asleep.

_Suddenly I was back at _their_ house, James and Victoria. Laurent was sitting on the couch across from me; James and Vicky were on a couch alone. _

"_How was your 11__th__ birthday?" Laurent asked._

"_It was fun, James didn't make me go to school, I got to stay home and celebrate."_

_The conversation was long and boring until finally Laurent left._

I recognized the scene suddenly and unconsciously tried to fight against the memory. Only it didn't feel like it was just a memory.

_Vicky left for work, she was working a double she said, she wouldn't be back until tomorrow afternoon._

"_So Isabella" James said when I got out of the tub that night._

_I walked towards my room wrapped in my towel. I jumped when I saw that James was in there._

"_It's time for you to become a woman" He informed me._

_Something in his eyes told me to run, but after five months here I had grown to trust him._

"_What do you mean?" I asked curiously._

_He smiled and reached out to me. His hand trailed softly across my jaw and down my chest and stomach. Goose bumps erupted across my skin and I didn't understand why I felt like that. I smiled, deciding that whatever it was, I liked it. But out of nowhere, James's hands grabbed my towel and yanked it off, leaving me completely naked._

"_James" I yelled in disbelief and fear._

_I backed away in confusion, shaking in terror. He smiled and picked me up easily, throwing me on my bed. I yelled again._

"_Stop yelling" He ordered._

_His hands started touching my body and I screamed louder. His hands left my body long enough to connect with my face with a loud cracking noise. I looked at him in disbelief, tears streaming down my face quickly. I fought against him violently._

"_Calm down" He said, voice thick with sweetness, smile wide and excited. "I'm just going to teach you about sex and tell you your new role in my house"_

_My head slammed against my head board as me moved me to better him._

My head slammed against the floor, causing a whimper to leave my body. My hands and feet lashed out in defense. That's when I noticed that it wasn't just a dream, the closet door was open and kneeling in front of me was Edward. He was frowning and looking like he was waiting for something.

I knew this was coming eventually. I did the only thing I could; I detached myself from, well, myself. I let myself crawl to the back of my head where I wouldn't have to deal with this, my body would follow the instructions that I knew all too well.

**Well, a look into Bella's past. I warned that this would be a dark story, if you don't like it please don't flame, just walk away and find a story to your own taste.**


	7. Chapter 6

**EPOV**

I heard banging coming from Isabella's room as the sun rose. The banging seemed to signal the end of her endless sobbing. I wanted to cry with her. Her sobs obviously came from the heart; she was hurting and hurting deeply. After the third bang I could smell exposed blood and growled. Venom pooled in my mouth with thirst. The still rational part of my brain told me I should be worried, the only person in the house that bleeds is Isabella and banging was just coming from her room.

There was a sound of shuffling across the floor and a door opening, then closing, all from Isabella's room. Her breathing quickly slowed down after that and I knew she was sleeping. The house was peaceful as ever after that, but even that was short lived. Not even an hour later there was shuffling in Bella's room again.

It was quiet shuffling at first, just moving around restlessly. It quickly escalated to banging again. This time I walked into her room. She wasn't on her bed, her bed wasn't even touched. I followed the banging sound to her closet. I opened it and gasped at her sprawled across the floor.

Her eyes were squeezed shut and her breathing was labored, she was having a nightmare. He hands swung as if she was defending herself and her fists were banging against the walls of her closet. She started to whimper and kick her legs out in succession with her hand swings. I dropped to my knees in front of her with wide eyes. I didn't know what to do but she had to stop before she hurt herself.

In that moment I realized that I couldn't tell what she was having a nightmare about. I couldn't read her mind!

Her head shook as if she was saying no and she fought harder against whatever was haunting her dreams. Out of nowhere her head it the floor with a loud _crack _and her eyes flew open. Her pupils dilated from the light intake and she looked around frantically. When her eyes met mine they sparked to life and were full of terror, horror, and the need to get away. But that flashed through her eyes only for a second because just as quickly her eyes dulled out and became distant.

Her breaths deepened and slowed down slowly. She started moving and what I saw made me gasp. Her shirt sleeves lifted long enough to show me the bruises that decorated her wrists and traveled up under her sleeves. But they were hidden quickly behind her back. I stood up and looked at her. She was sitting back on her calves, hands linked behind her back, and eyes trained on the floor. The same position she assumed when Carlisle had told her to stop screaming.

"Why do you sit like that?" I asked her.

She didn't make any acknowledgement that she had heard me.

"Come out the closet" I said, not liking the sight of her in the closet like something worthless.

She got to her feet and followed me back into her bedroom. I sat on the bed and she got back into her position on the floor by my side. I looked at her in complete confusion, why did she keep doing that? I really wish I could read her mind.

Her position on the floor and ability to take orders made me feel like I dominated over her and I didn't know how I felt about that.

"Esme will want you down for breakfast soon, and dressed since she wants to work out a few things" I told her, having read Esme's thoughts.

She nodded but didn't move. I got up and left the room. I soon heard her get up from the floor and head to the shower.

_**Suggestions and reviews? Thanks to all my reviewers so far!**_


	8. Chapter 7

**This writer's block is critical!**

I walked down the stairs freshly dressed and showered and into the kitchen where Esme was waiting for me. She gestured for me to sit in the seat by her and I did what I was told.

"Bella" Esme started. "Carlisle and I decided that it was time to send you back to school" She continued after a pause. "I know you missed a lot of school but we think it would be best to put you with kids your own age"

I looked at her listening. I didn't know how I felt about going back to school even though I didn't say it. I used to love school but I missed a lot of school and I probably wasn't smart enough to keep up with my work. Another problem was that I didn't want to have to go back to a building full of kids, especially ones that I didn't know.

"We know that your grade makes you a tenth grader so that's the grade you'll be in. You will be in the same school as the rest of the kids but Edward, Alice, and Jasper are in 11th grade and Emmett and Rosalie are in 12th grade. Is that okay?"

I nodded even though I knew that if I said no it would make no a difference. It never made a difference.

"Now, we know that it is going to be hard to catch up so we thought to buy you some books to study from. We are going to start with 6th grade books and up to 12th grade. I know that 5th grade was the last you did which is why I started at 6th. It is going to be hard so at any time that you need help you can just ask any one of us in the house."

I nodded again so she knew I was listening.

"Well I have your books already. I'll go get them and help you set up in your room." She said.

She left and then came back with two huge stacks of books balanced in her hands. They looked unbelievably heavy but she didn't seem to be struggling at all. I followed her up to my room and to the desk. She spread the books into 7 stacks, 6 of which she organized into piles on the floor. The last pile was organized into four piled on the desk, 2 on each side of the laptop in the middle of the desk.

"All of the fifth grade stuff is organized on the desk" Esme said.

I had already figured that out by the 5 on each book. Each pile contained 2-4 books. To the left of the laptop there were social studies and science books, to the right there was math and English books.

"There is a text book for each subject and a few work books. The laptop is yours and I want you to use it to help you with your work if needed. You can use it for anything that you want because it is yours." She told me.

I nodded, for the first time in a long time I almost felt happy. I knew all about the amazing world of computers, technology was my second favorite class before I was pulled from school. There was a lot of freedom in having my own computer, small enough for me to take with me anywhere in the room. Despite my happiness I was wary, what was the catch?

"I figured we could start you back in school in, a week maybe?" Esme said.

I nodded because it felt like the right thing to do. I found myself growing more trusting of Esme, she reminded me of my mother. My mother always made me feel safe and made sure I was safe.

"Come down and try and eat something for breakfast" Esme said softly, it wasn't an order as far as I could tell. "Are you hungry?" She asked as I followed her down the steps. "I know you got sick last night"

I shook my head answering her question. Honestly my stomach was clenching with nerves from this unfamiliar house and the strange woman that was so much nicer than Victoria was to me.

"Well, how about a smoothie?" Esme asked.

I didn't have to answer because she started as I sat down. She cut up different fruits and threw it in a blender followed by some ice and milk. I thought about that and remembered how my own mother made me a smoothie before she took me to school every morning. I wanted to say something, anything, as Esme put the smoothie in front of me with a straw but I didn't know how.

"Can you talk?" She asked me as I sipped the drink.

It tasted amazing and the cold felt good in my mouth, however it hurt sliding down my throat. I shook my head and looked at her. She frowned and my eyes darted to my cup.

"Why not?" She continued.

I wanted to tell her that I forgot how to but I couldn't. Instead I opted for sipping my smoothie.

"When was the last time you spoke?" She asked.

I didn't show any signs or hearing her, I just stared at my cup and took another sip of my smoothie.

"If you want you can take your drink to your room" Esme said.

With that she left the kitchen. I didn't move for a long time, my smoothie was starting to melt. I dumped it and then went up to my room. I sat at the desk and looked at all of my school stuff. The first thing I did was organize the heavy books into a neat line in the tiny bookshelf that was connected to my desk. Next I opened one of the drawers and saw notebooks and pens and pencils. I took out a pencil and the math books. I set up the laptop and then started to struggle through my work.

**Review please!**


	9. Chapter 8

School had always come natural and that didn't seem to change. By the time the week was over I was done with all of the work up to 10th grade. I knew the reason for that not only was because it was easy, but also because I rarely slept, when I did sleep I had nightmares and used the books to distract myself.

My first day of school was stressful. First I was up before my alarm even went off. I was dressed and showered by 7. Until 8 I worked on my math for 10th grade then I ran downstairs with my book bag.

"Good morning" Esme said. "You'll be riding with Edward"

The ride to school was short and silent. Edward told me to follow him and we went to the main office.

"Bella Swan" Edward said. "Sophomore"

The woman smiled at him and batted her lashes, completely ignoring me. She handed him papers and he passed them to me. We walked out together.

"Do you need anything?" Edward asked as he handed me papers.

I shook my head.

"Well if you need me I'll be around the halls, the entire family will be"

I nodded and watched his feet as he walked away.

I found my new locker and headed to my first period with a notebook and my pencil case. I sat in the back of the class and everyone looked at me as they filed in. I felt hot in my sweat suit but shivered under their gazes. The bell rang and pain shot through my head at the loudness.

"Good morning, everyone take their seats" A man said getting up from his seat. "We have a new student, Isabella Swan. Would you like to come up and introduce yourself?"

He stared at me and I looked down at my desk shaking my head.

"Well okay then"

All of classes were like that until lunch. Kids tried to talk to me but I ignored them and walked away. Alice saw me and motioned for me to sit with her and the rest of the Cullens at lunch. Everyone stared at us as we got food and went to the Cullen table. The cafeteria exploded into urgent whispers, silent conversation passed through this table but too quiet and fast for my ears. I played with my food but never ate.

Last period was gym. The coach demanded that I join the game of volleyball. The rest of the Cullens were in this class but didn't show up. At one point I hit a guy in the back of his head with the ball. He turned to me and smiled. He jogged up to me.

"Hey Bella" He said. "I'm Mike, we have another class together"

I nodded to acknowledge that I heard him.

"You don't talk much do you?"

Something in his face scared me, I shook my head.

"I like that" He whispered with a wink. Shakes vibrated my frame; he leaned forward and kissed me. I froze with wide eyes and he jogged away. At this point I was terrified. This is how it starts…


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm losing intrest in this story because I just don't know where to go with it. But I'm finally going to try.**

**Edward'sPOV**

I worried about Bella a lot. She didn't eat, or she couldn't keep the food down, she didn't sleep, and she didn't seem to know how to talk. She was the furthest thing from a normal 16 year old. I knew those bruises on her arms didn't get there by magic. And I knew the way she sat when she was in trouble, or thought she was since she was never in trouble, was a clue to her past. But the fact that she didn't talk and I couldn't read her mind made it impossible for me to put the pieces together.

After Bella's first week in school she seemed fearful of going back. At first I really didn't know why. I wondered if it was the fact that everyone seemed to talk about her when she wasn't around because she was so 'strange'. But then I noticed she was most fearful around guys. And the worst guy for her was Mike.

Mike pestered her a lot, but it seemed innocent enough considering she doesn't talk. But after 2 weeks she went out of her way to avoid him. I finally confronted him in the gym about it, surprising everyone. Even Bella.

"Mike" I called as we were given 5 minutes to stretch or relax between our soccer game.

He looked over at me fearfully, and everyone else watched in surprise. Even my family.

"Yes" He asked walking over to me.

His thoughts were excited, he thought he was about to be accepted. As if.

"You're aware of the fact that Bella is my younger foster sister right?"

He nodded in confusion.

"Well I don't like you talking to her. Leave her alone. She doesn't talk to anyone, including you, and your constant prescence might not annoy her but it annoys me."

"What" He said in disbelief. Then he got smug. "Sounds like you're jealous Cullen. Do you have a thing for your little foster sister?"

I heard Bella's heart racing. I ignored it with a great deal of strength. Even in this gym full of fresh blood, her blood sang to me.

"No" I said with a shrug. "I just know she doesn't like you and you bothering her annoys me"

"Whatever Cullen, you don't control me or her" He said.

With that he walked away. I had to suppress the growl threatening to erupt from my throat. Mike's thoughts were suddenly calling for my attention. He was thinking of all the times he'd either kissed or touched Bella in an innappropriate way. This time I growled lowly. Suddenly I felt Jasper trying to calm me and accepted it before I killed Mike. No wonder Bella was so afraid.

...

Bella sat in the passanger's seat on the way home silently, like always.

"Bella, talking about it helps" I said quietly and suddenly.

Bella jumped in surprise and looked at me in wonder. Suddenly the smell of tears filled the car and Bella looked away. I didn't try to get a response from her again until we got home.

"You know you can tell me anything, I wouldn't hurt you or anything."

She looked at me briefly and then shuffled out of the car clumsily. She spent the rest of her night doing homework. Or finishing up those work books Esme had bought her. She was very serious about her school work.

"What was that about?" Demanded Rosalie, thinking back to the gym incedent.

"I was standing up for Bella, someone has to since she doesn't"

"That isn't our problem"

I turned and walked away from Rosalie without another word. I went up to Bella's room and knocked on her door. Her heartbeat told me that she heard me.

"I'm coming in" I warned her.

She was sitting at her desk when I came in. She looked down at the pen in her hand instead of me, I closed the door behind myself.

"Bella" I started, sititng on her bed, "I want to understand you, help you, but I can't because you don't talk. So I have an idea, get an empty notebook"

She did as she was told and waited for me to continue.

"I want you to answer me, by writing. Understand?

**What should Bella tell Edward, what should he ask? Sorry for the long delay. I won't update until I know what we should let Edward find out now.**


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